We all want the preacher to have worked hard on the text, we'd love there to be an interesting introduction that captures our attention and draws us to see the relevance of the text the preacher is explaining to our lives. We demand faithfulness to the bible and the sermon to be woven through with the bibles big picture. We'd love there to be a couple of amusing jokes, or wry and witty observations, we'd love the bible talk not to be too long but just long enough and to point us clearly to Jesus and the applicability of the gospel to our hearts and lives. And we'd love it to end with a bang rather than a whimper
When put like that we begin to realise how much we expect (or hope for) from our bible teachers, that is quite a bit to cram in, especially as preparation and bible teaching are just one part of the job description. But what ought our preachers to expect of us listeners? Just as I prepare so that I am ready to preach on a Sunday morning or evening just as preachers strive be be ready, how do we as listeners be ready to hear the word of God.
I wonder how much thought you have given to that question? Its easy to fall into the blame some one else culture - I didn't get much from this morning because the preacher was boring, or there were just too many bricks on the back wall that I got distracted and started counting them, or the person in front was eating sweets, or this kamikaze fly kept dive bombing my head and putting me off. So how can we as listeners do our part well.
1. Be physically ready
Be engaged mentally and ready physically before the service. I remember reading an interesting article on preacher preparation that spoke about the need to fuel and refuel for the preacher, to have eaten enough to have energy but not too much so that you are sluggish and to be hydrated enough that you didn't need to keep stopping to have a drink of water whilst preaching. But what about for listeners, I think the same applies be physically prepared to engage mentally - have eaten before you come, be hydrated but not needing the loo, especially if you suffer from TB (Tiny Bladder).
Have you thought through what physically helps you concentrate? Is it note taking, is it writing questions about the talk and explanation and application of the passage as it is given? Is it having the odd mint imperial to suck? In the hot summer months (this only applies if you don't live in the UK) does a bottle of water help you stayed focused? Is it knowing you will be discussion this over the lunch table with friends?
What about how you view the bible? Is it a hard copy, is it on a phone or other device? I have no problem with any of those, though my personal preference is the hard copy. The key thing if using a mobile device is does it distract or help you focus, would using air plane mode help further by removing potential distraction?
2. Be Mentally switched on
Sometimes the way we approach preaching is very passive, we turn up and expect the preacher to engage us in the first 2 minutes of the talk or feel justified in drifting off. But what about our responsibility as hearers to engage? And how do we do that? Have you read the passage at home, have you jotted down questions you have and things you have spotted to see if they match up with where the preacher goes? Could you do this as a couple or with friends so that mentally you are all engaged and accountable?
3. Make it live long
What do we do afterwards? How do we as listeners ensure that God's word explained and applied does it work in our hearts? Is it sitting and praying with someone afterwards? Is it having 5 minutes of quiet personal reflection? Is it lovingly helping one another push the application of the passage deeper into one another's lives?
There will be times when God's word is like an arrow to our hearts, when we can't but listen. But how do we maximise those times when that is not the case, we are not at liberty to switch off because this is still God's word. How good am I as a listener? How good am I at these basic things?
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